Hong Kong's 'Umbrella Revolution'

On August 31, the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in Beijing ratified a plan for Hong Kong’s 2017 chief executive election that failed to meet expectations of universal suffrage as promised under the Basic Law. It was a bitter disappointment that a great many Hong Kong people opposed.

The decision led Hong Kong activists to push forward with their "Occupy Central" movement in protest. Occupy was soon superseded by student protesters under the banner of the "Umbrella Revolution." Tear gas volleys shot by police only swelled the protests as tens of thousands of people joined in, shutting down large parts of the city for several days during the period of the October 1 National Day holidays. The protests were peaceful, orderly and determined.

Asia Sentinel has continuously reported on and analyzed these dramatic events during the protests and the political process that led to the demonstrations. See our stories below:

OCTOBER

• October 28: Conspiracy Oracle Backs Beijing from Bangkok A shadowy “researcher” recycles doubtful claims about HK’s Occupy Central onto the world stage

• October 22: Interview Shows HK Chief to be Clueless His subjects, he says, are too stupid to vote

• October 19: Viable End Game Circumvented in Hong Kong Mistrust, growing tension thwart a denouement

• October 17: Can Hong Kong Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying Survive? Amid a huge conflict scandal, students want him gone but Beijing probably won’t axe him

• October 17: Hong Kong’s Future: In Beijing’s Hands Will it hammer the doors shut or seek to regain some credibility?

• October 15: Hong Kong's Endless Road to Democracy There has been considerable confusion and deliberate misinformation on the role of the British colonials and the Chinese on universal suffrage in the 172 years since Hong Kong was founded. Neither comes out especially clean. We present this political history of the territory as a service for our readers to foster understanding of the unfolding Occupy Central crisis.

• October 14: Risk of Triad-Related Violence Grows in Hong Kong Country risk firm says triad elements are a troubling concern

• October 11: Hong Kong: Wear A Yellow Ribbon Reaction to the student protests has revealed ugliness of my home

• October 7: Hong Kong Pressure Abates Access for civil servants to work

• October 5: IN PHOTOS: Hong Kong protests Photos show a peaceful, orderly, and determined movement

• October 4: China Uses Triads Against Democracy Movement Thugs seek to intimidate demonstrators

• October 3: Understand What Hong Kong Wants Reflections on tear gas, protest and betrayal

• October 3: Resign Ultimatum Passes in Hong Kong, Protests Unresolved China’s Liaison Office presumed to call the shots

• October 3: HK Protests Damage Leung and Xi The ‘umbrella revolution’ could leave lasting political fallout in Hong Kong and China

• October 1: Hong Kong: Best and Worst-Case Scenarios Prominent country risk firm says the situation should resolve itself

SEPTEMBER

• September 30: HK Police and Officials Botch Protest Tear gas outrages public but a practical way forward must be found

• September 29: China Can’t Back Down Hong Kong’s protests demonstrate that it was never going to work

• September 29: Xi is on the Wrong Side of History in Hong Kong A tone-deaf government in Beijing misses the importance of the student protest

• September 18: China Breaks its Promise to Hong Kong China fears democracy contagion if true universal suffrage were allowed in Hong Kong

• September 9: China Gets it Wrong Beijing’s soft power hasn’t worked in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Tibet and Xinjiang

• September 5: Hong Kong, City of Broken Promises ‘If you’re not angry about this then you have no heart’

• September 4: Beijing’s Order to HK on Universal Suffrage Violates Basic Law China ignores the law it helped to write

• September 1: Beijing to Hong Kong: Drop Dead NPC urges HK legislature to ratify universal suffrage but it will decide who goes on the ballot list.

• September 1: On Scene: China’s ‘No’ to Hong Kong A crowd shouts but hope fades in Hong Kong

AUGUST

• August 29: Hong Kong Under the Heel On Sunday, Beijing will ensure its Nomination Committee shafts democrats